DISCLAIMER: Star Trek, Star Trek:Deep Space Nine, Star Trek:Voyager and
their characters are copyright Paramount and no infringement is intended.
The story, such as it is, is copyright Karen Colohan May 1998.

SATIN AND STEEL

by Karen Colohan

The door to the shop chimed and Elim Garak looked up at once from his
work. The professionally ingratiating smile he reserved for his customers
was firmly in place on the Cardassian's placid face. One eye ridge quirked
upward fractionally as Garak surveyed his customer. She was a striking woman,
attired in the uniform of a Starfleet captain. Her hair was severely drawn
back from her face, but the Cardassian noted that this did not entirely disguise
her beauty.

Pushing aside this distracting thought, Garak concentrated instead on
identifying the unexpected visitor to his shop. Starship captains were hardly
a part of his regular clientele. However, if his memory, and his covert research
in the Federation computer files, served him correctly - and, Garak reflected
without false modesty, they usually did - this was Captain Kathryn Janeway
of the USS Voyager. The ship was currently docked at DS9 prior to embarking
on a mission in the Badlands.

Given that Starfleet officers seemed to be permanently wedded to their
uniforms - a great pity in certain cases! - Garak wondered what Janeway could
want from him. As he moved from behind the counter to greet the captain the
Cardassian noticed that her frankly appraising stare was divided more or
less equally between his displays and himself.

"So, what did you do to annoy Central Command this much?" Janeway asked
bluntly, a jerk of her head indicating the tailor's shop.

Garak blinked in surprise. How refreshingly direct - and how disconcertingly
perceptive... A formidable woman indeed!! In answer Garak smiled his humblest
smile.

"Madam, I take no part in the affairs of governments. I am only a plain
and simple tailor. When my people left there was no less demand for my services
- so here I still am."

Janeway's expression showed plainly that she didn't believe a word of
it! Ah, reflected the Cardassian, it was good to cross swords with a worthy
opponent again. The good doctor was so easy to deceive... but, he was forgetting
his role!

"Madam, how may I serve you? My shop is at your disposal," said Garak
in his best professional manner.

"Well then, let's see if you're as good at making clothing as you are
at lying," said Janeway dryly. "You come highly recommended and I need something
- special."

"Then you've come to the right place," Garak assured her. "'Special' is
my speciality." He smiled again and this time drew an answering smile from
the captain.

"I'm sure it is," Janeway agreed, and Garak knew she wasn't referring
to his tailoring skills. "Be that as it may, what I need - is a nightgown."
Garak's eyes widened slightly and Janeway laughed ruefully. "Starfleet issue
nightwear is, frankly, a nightmare. I had in mind something a little more
- feminine."

"Now there's wishful thinking," muttered Janeway half under her breath.
Garak caught the faint hint of wistfulness in her voice.

"No, I'm wrong, aren't I?" the Cardassian said quickly. "Rather you wish
to remember someone - one who cannot accompany you on your mission. You feel
the appropriate nightwear will - strengthen your memories perhaps..."

"Oh, you're very good, Mr Garak." Janeway gave a slight laugh. "I think
I may have to revise my opinion of you - it must have been the Obsidian Order
who left you behind, not Central Command." The offhand comment startled Garak
into saying nothing for a telling fraction of a second too long.

"Madam, I..."

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not about to start telling tales out of school.
If you're still here it's because you really have nowhere else to go." Janeway
held his eyes for a long moment. "Don't ask me why, but somehow I don't think
you're a threat to this station. You can tell your lies to whoever will listen
to them. I won't enlighten them... unless I feel I have cause to." She drew
in a long breath. "Now, to more important matters, Mr Garak, can you help
me find a nightgown or must I take my business elsewhere?"

Stunned by her perceptiveness Garak was, for a rare moment, speechless.
Obediently he turned and began searching through his stock for an appropriate
garment. It seemed he really had met his match! The realisation was strangely
enticing. After a few moments Garak's hands came to rest on the perfect item.
He pulled it from the drawer and held it up for inspection. Janeway pursed
her lips and nodded approvingly.

"Oh yes, that's special all right."

"Try it on," Garak suggested. "I think it should fit."

Janeway took the nightgown from him, her fingers brushing the cool, smooth
cloth appreciatively. She headed for the changing rooms and Garak watched
her retreating figure thoughtfully. A few minutes later her low voice called
to him and Garak dutifully pushed the curtain aside. He wasn't entirely prepared
for his reaction to the sight of her. It took all his Obsidian Order training
to keep his thoughts from showing on his face.

"What do you think?" Janeway asked, turning and striking a deliberately
provocative pose. Her smile was positively sultry.

"Beautiful," breathed Garak with complete honesty.

Janeway was clad in the long nightgown and nothing else. The sheer material
clinging to her curves left Garak in no doubt of that. The Cardassian's cock
twitched in instinctive appreciation. Janeway had let her hair down and it
fell softly to her bare shoulders. The pale peach satin she wore set off
her creamy skin to perfection.

"Perhaps you'd be so kind as to check the fit for me," suggested the
captain.

In a daze Garak stepped forward and began running his sizing scanner over
the woman's slender body. The Cardassian found his own body reacting to her
closeness in an entirely predictable manner and he thanked his lucky stars
for the length of his tunic!

"I was rather hoping for the personal touch..." said Janeway softly.

Garak glanced up sharply, but the look in her eyes was open, inviting.
He set down the scanner and let his hands come to rest on Janeway's shoulders.
She smiled her encouragement and he began to move them slowly over the smooth
fabric of the nightgown. Her warmth bled through the material to his palms,
tantalising. As his fingers found the hard peaks of her nipples through the
satin Garak leaned closer, his mouth close by Janeway's ear.

"Why?" he asked.

"Right place, right time... Does it matter?"

Garak drew back, measuring what he saw in her face for a long moment.
At length he shook his head.

"No."

"Good..."

It was permission enough for the Cardassian and he allowed his hands to
wander freely now. His fingers drew up the hem of the nightgown to find the
soft skin beneath. Janeway raised her arms and Garak obediently drew the
gown off over her head, discarding it on the floor. She pressed close to
him now and Garak set about learning all her soft curves. He gasped as her
fingers found the clasp of his pants, freeing his hard cock. Her mouth nibbled
its way along his neck ridge and up to his ear.

"On the floor, mister," she ordered in a voice he had no choice but to
obey.

Janeway followed him down to the floor of the changing room, pushing Garak
firmly until he lay on his back. His cock jutted upward, slick with moisture.
Janeway ignored it as she efficiently stripped the Cardassian of his clothes.
When Garak was naked she straddled him, leaning forward until her breasts
were in range of his eager mouth. Janeway made small sounds of appreciation
as the Cardassian lavished his attention on first one and then the other
nipple, sucking them until they glistened with moisture.

Eventually Janeway tired of this sport and scooted backward, lifting herself
until she was poised over Garak's rock hard erection. The Cardassian's blue
eyes closed as she lowered herself until her wet folds encompassed the very
tip of his cock, teasing him.

"If you want me to do this you'll open your eyes, Mr Garak. This is one
place I won't let you hide behind your lies." Garak looked up at her, startled.
"Better," she acknowledged. "Now keep them open..."

It went against the grain, but Garak kept his eyes open and his gaze fixed
steadily on Kathryn Janeway's face as she slowly impaled herself on his thick
cock. The Cardassian's natural lubrication made their joining effortless
and he slid deep inside her. Garak moved his hips experimentally and Janeway
gasped. The ridges that spiralled about his erection brought unexpected
sensations and she leaned into his energetic thrusts eagerly.

It was all over far too soon. Janeway's sudden contractions about his
cock pushed Garak over the edge and his semen spurted up into her body as
he shuddered with pleasure. Her hands grasped his neck ridges tightly, forcing
him to keep his gaze locked with hers as he came. As they lay sprawled together,
recovering Janeway directed a slow smile at the Cardassian.

"Well, I certainly can't fault the service here. I'll take the
nightgown."

"I'll just wrap it for you then, shall I?"

Garak untangled himself from Janeway's limbs and quickly dressed himself.
He still had no idea what had really happened here - or why. Sometimes though,
he had learned, one simply accepted... As she had said, it had been the right
place and right time for both of them. He scooped up the nightgown and took
it out to the counter, leaving Janeway to dress in her own time. When she
emerged from the changing rooms she was once again the impeccable Starfleet
captain, her hair back in its severe style. Garak handed her the box and
Janeway drew out a strip of latinum to pay him. To his own surprise as much
as hers Garak waved it away.

"Consider the nightgown a gift," he said softly.

"Why thank you. At least let me offer you a piece of advice in return
though." Garak looked at her curiously. "Exile can be a lonely place. You
have to learn to trust or it's going to stay that way. I'd say you learned
the first lesson today, don't forget it..." Janeway turned and headed for
the door. "There's hope for you yet, Mr Garak..."

As the door closed behind her Garak softly repeated her final words, "There's
hope for you yet..."